Rain
by Kelly Melly
Summary: A one shot...Scarlett has a very unexpected chance encounter.


Hey! I am new and just wanted to introduce myself. I'm Kelly Melly and have been a lurker here for years. And I have finally decided to post some of my stories.

This story is a one shot. It's something that I have always been curious about :)...

Disclaimer: If I owned GWTW, I would have simply put this in the book anyway, right:)

It was pouring rain.

Scarlett tried desperately to shield herself from the cold, pelting drops, but it was to no avail. The small shawl that she had brought with her was too flimsy to be of any use.

Oh, what a fool she had been! Anyone could have seen that it was going to rain. But she was a fool. Of course it had been sunny and bright for a day in late October. But she should have known better than to go out on horse back to the store and the mill when she had seen those clouds in the distance. She knew that once she reached her prized mansion on Peachtree Street, she was going to hear it from Mammy. But she wasn't going to worry about that right now.

She just wanted to get home.

She tried to get the horse to run faster, but when she rode any faster than at a trot, she couldn't see her hand in front of her face because of the rain.

She rode a bit longer but decided she was definitely not going to make it home. She was on the country road that led to the mills. Once she got back into town she was going to stop at the first building that she saw and shelter herself there until the rain subsided.

When she turned onto the road that headed for town, it started raining harder. The raindrops had once been cold, annoying driblets that were wetting her face and clothes; they were now harsh, stinging drops of ice assaulting her body.

She could hear the carriage a carriage coming up behind her, and thought that perhaps they would stop. She moved to the side so they could pass her, hoping they would see who she was when they passed by. And when they slowed, she was hopeful. But as quickly as they had stopped, they started to move ahead of her again and it seemed, at a faster pace than before.

She felt slighted and very disgusted. Imagine, someone leaving a young woman on a horse in the middle of this rain. And not just rain, but rain that came down with harsh force rather than mild descent.

But before she could feel terribly put out, she saw the carriage come to a sudden stop. She kept riding with purpose, not knowing for sure why they were stopping. But she knew that they had stopped for her when she saw the driver, who had come from the front of the buggy, wave her down.

"Do you need a ride, miss?" The man said politely. She struggled for an impalpable moment, wanting to hold on to her hurt pride at being passed by when first spotted by them and with the fact that she didn't know the driver therefore didn't know the person inside. However, she couldn't conceive riding into town in the rain for even a minute longer.

She simply nodded and gave him the reins to the horse. He took them and quickly opened the door to the carriage. She stepped in with some difficulty. Her skirts were saturated with water and were much heavier than usual. She didn't bother to look at who was in the carriage with her, until she was seated. She leaned her head back against the wall of the buggy for a moment and took a deep breath. She looked ahead to see her riding companion and to give them her thanks for their generosity. But when she saw the person she was sharing the compartment with, the words stuck in her throat and she couldn't do anything but stare. There was no way that it could have been anyone else. The striking and unnatural red hair was the indication enough. No one else had that hair.

Belle stared at Scarlett with one eyebrow lifted. And Scarlett instinctively did the same. It was a challenging glare that came from both sets of eyes. She had never known for sure, but had always suspected that since she had asked for separate bedrooms, Rhett had been seeing the creature that sat before her. Belle's reaction to Scarlett was all the proof that was needed for Scarlett's suspicions to be confirmed, and she was stung as she looked at the ageing woman before her.

She was certainly much older than Scarlett, not nearly as tiny in stature or weight and was not as pretty. But Scarlett thought with contempt in the deepest part of her mind were only truth lies, that Belle wasn't anywhere close to being ugly.

They both just stared, Scarlett's defiant gaze mixed with shock. Belle's holding nothing but contempt and a certain triumph. Women have a way of knowing what goes on in the mind of the enemy, a sort of intuition given to them all in the womb, and Scarlett couldn't believe the audacity of the woman. She should at least feel shame, and she definitely shouldn't be looking at her with such triumph. What if she said something? If she had the nerve to look at her that way, she would certainly have the nerve to outright admit it.

Scarlett wanted nothing more than to claw her. But she sat still. She mustn't know that she has affected me in the slightest, Scarlett thought. She quickly cleared her throat and went on as if they were perfect strangers and had never heard of each other or seen each other a day in their lives.

"Thank you for your…kindness." She edged out the last word. "I can't tell you how awful it was to ride in that weather." She gave a small smile that didn't reach her eyes and a tiny laugh that came from her throat.

Belle didn't smile. In fact she didn't even flinch. Her expression didn't change and she answered with the same stiff politeness. "Well, I reckon no one would be able to leave someone out in the rain like that, 'less they was heartless." Belle looked at her hard with the last words, almost as if she was accusing Scarlett of being just that.

At that Scarlett replied coldly, "Well, I suppose you are right. But nevertheless, a thank you is in order. If you wouldn't mind taking me to my home. It is on Peachtree –"

"I know where it is, Miz Butler." She grinded out the name with hard bitterness. She slid the small piece of wood behind her to the side to reveal an opening to the driver. She had to yell her directions over the rain, and had to quickly shut it when through to block the small escaping drops that had entered the cab.

"Well, Miz," she said, as if she couldn't bear to call her Mrs. Butler again. "We will be at your home in jus' a little bit."

Scarlett nodded slowly, bitterly, and endured the rest of her ride home.

Belle simply looked on the window the rest of the way. While Scarlett fiddled with her hands, trying to quiet the chanting in her mind that kept whispering, 'there are other beds, my dear'.

When they reached the house, Scarlett looked at Belle with cold eyes and said, "Again Miss Watling. Thank you." She quickly and spitefully added in. "Please allow my husband to compensate you for your time." Malice sparkled in her eyes.

She had already stepped out and was standing in front of the open door of the carriage. Belle simply smiled at Scarlett's statement, knowing its meaning.

"No need Miz Butler, I am sure that your husband will compensate me just fine without your request." With that she quickly shut the door and ordered her driver on, leaving Scarlett standing there seething with anger.


End file.
